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L. N. TON N S.

.SUPPORT POR GUN GAR-RIAGES.

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SUPPORT PoRA GUN GARRIAGBS. No. 371,530. Patented Got. 11; 1887.

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UNITED i, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS N. TONNS, OF NEW BRIGHTON, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO GEORGE H. ALLEN, OF NEWr YORK, AND EDWARD H. HALL, OF BROOKLYN, VNEJV Y YORK.

ASUPPORTI-'0R GUN-CARRIAG es.

SPECIFICATION forming part of- Letters Patent No. 371,530I dated October 11, 1857. l

Application tiled April, 1887. Serial No.235230. (No model.) v

To all whoml it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS N. TONNS, of New Biighton, in the county of Richmond'and -State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Supports forl Gun-Carriages', of which the following is a specification.

My improvement is designed more especially for use on ships of war, and is for the purpose of maintaining the gun as nearly as possible in a level position.

I will describe my improvement in detail, and then point out thenovel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is .'5 a side elevation of myimproved support. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, a certain cradle being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of an outer enge or cradle employed therein. Fig. 4 is a plan or top view of a swinging platform employed therein. Fig. 5 is a plan or top view ofa table supported upon the swinging platform.

Similar letters of reference designate correspending parts in all the figures.

A designates whatI term a cradle It is composed of an upper ring, c a', the latter being within the former and suitably connected thereto and braced by cross-braces a2, and a lower portion, a4, having, as shown, parallel 3c sides and rounded ends. Straight parallel braces a5 extend between the rounded ends of the portion a". Suitable4 upright braces, a,

extend between the portions a a and the portion a4, anda brace, aT, is shown extending circumferentially about the braces c6. Trunnions as are suitably secured to the ring a a" at opposite sides of the ring. These trunnions are journaled in suitable bearings in the deck of a ship or the tloor of a gun-turret thereon, and extend fore and aft the ship. When the ship rolls from side to side, this cradle will rock onthe trunnions a8, and thus be maintained level.

B designates a platform. It has at the top an outer ring, b b', similar to the ring a a. This platform is provided with a central capshaped metal piece, b2, which is secured to and rests upon cross bars or braces bil, extending radially from the center of the platform and secured to the ring b b in any suitable manner. 5o These cross bars or braces are secured at their inner ends to upright angle-irons b", which angle-irons are secured together and extend about and are secured to a flanged stem, b5. Braces bi extend from the angle-irons b, to 53 which theyare secured near their lower ends, to the ring bv b', to which they are secured near their upper ends. The stem b5 bears at its lower end a weight, bl. Upon the top of the platform are secured circular tracks or rails 6o` ba. Trunnions b9 upon opposite sides of the platform are journaled in suitable bearings, bw, on the ring a a of the cradle A. These trunnions extend athwart the ship. The stern b? extends through the opening in the bottom of t-he cradle A,formed by the braces a5. When the vessel pitches fore and aft, the platform B will rock on the trunnions b", and is assisted in maintaining a level by the weight b7 on the stem b5, which latter moves through the space 7o j ust described in the lower end ot' the cradle A. D-designates a table made, as shown, of wood, and provided upon its under side with antifriction rollers d, which latter rest upon the rails be. The upper end of the stem d5 extends 75 through a suitable central aperture in the cupshaped metal piece b2 and through a central aperture in a metal plate, d?, secured centrally upon the under side of the table D. This affords an additional means for preventing the 8o table from moving oil from the platform B. Between the plates b2 cl2, I have shown metal balls. The plate d2 is .in contact with these balls, which tend to support the table D and assist in its rotation. A gun carriage or car- 8 5 riages are intended to rest upon this table, and the latter may be rotated to bring the gun or guns into any desired position. I have shown means for rotating the table, consisting in a gear-wheel, e, rigidly mounted upon the upper 9o end of a shaft, e', whichshaft is suitably supported in bearings on the frame of the platform B. This gear-wheel meshes with gearteeth c2, extending cireumferentially about the table D, upon the under side thereof, near its outer circumference, and secured thereto in any suitable manner. The gear-wheel e derives motion from another gear-wheel, e2,

keyed upon thelower end of tho shaft e,whieh' latter gear-wheel derives motion in turn from a gear-Wheel, e3, keyed upon a crank, e", near the upper end ofthe latter. The upper end of the crank e4 is journaled in the frame of the platform B, and its lower end in a step-bearing formed in the meeting ends of downwardlyextending braces or angleirons secured at their upper ends to the frame of the platform.

The crank 651s, as shown, double. Any suitable means may be employed for rotating` the same; but I have shown two steanrcylinders, f, the piston-rods of which are suitably connected to the crank. Steam may be supplied to thc cylinders in any ronvenient manner.

It Will be seen that by my improvement ll Construct a support for a gun on shipboard whereby the gun-carriage will always be maintained in an approximately level position. It is simple and strong, and not liable to get out of order, while at the same time provision is made for turning the gun and carriage about into any desired position.

VhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A support for a gun-carriage, comprising a cradle having trunnions upon which said cradle may rock in one direction, a platform supported upon said cradle and provided with trunnions supported on the cradle, upon which it may rock in another direction, a counterbalance-weight supported by said platform, a'

rotary table for primarily supporting a gun, circular rails upon the platform, anti-friction rollers upon the under side of the table and resting upon said rails, a `cup-shaped middle piece arranged centrally upon the top of the platform, and metal balls within said cupshaped middle piece, substantially as specified.

2. Asupport for a gun-carriage, comprising` a cradle having truunions upon which said cradle may rock in one direction, a platform supported upon said cradle and provided with trunnions supported on the cradle, upon which it may rock in another direction, a counterbalanceweight supported by said platform, a rotary table mounted upon said plgfa rm, gearing for rotating said table, and a amengine mounted upon the platform fo )perating said gearing. substantially as sp itcd.

LEWIS N. TOhA QS.

Vitnesses:

D. H. DRIsooLL, J As. D. GRIsWoLD. 

